I don't think that's actually a valid use of the term "horizontal integration".

Alright well if you'd like to pick some more nits with me, you can say that the term applies to the organization that builds the vehicle, or the program that develops it. Either way the fact remains that relying on suppliers to provide you flight-ready hardware they've developed on their own dime rather than designing, building, and integrating it all yourself will eventually come back to haunt anyone looking to drive launch costs to the floor. Especially small launch providers.

That is not so much a nitpick as a clarification to help communication. "Horizontal integration" already has 2 relevant well known meanings (spacecraft to launch vehicle mating method, and "the process of a company increasing production of goods or services at the same part of the supply chain."). Adding a third will only confuse people. For the future, it will save a lot of confusion if you just say something like "purchasing all major subsystems from various different vendors with little to nothing built in-house" I don't think there is a term for this or a need for one.

Also, I don't think anyone here doubts that this is a bad idea, but it looks like this isn't Vector's long term plan. I do doubt the value of doing a test launch with almost none of your parts being what you intend to actually use though, which seems like what they may be doing.

Because nothing screams cost-effectiveness more than racing towards a 2018 orbital launch date with horizontal integration, a non-representative baseline vehicle, and architectural concept drawings of an empty factory.

For the future, it will save a lot of confusion if you just say something like "purchasing all major subsystems from various different vendors with little to nothing built in-house" I don't think there is a term for this or a need for one.

It has to be in-house first before it can be out-sourced. If it never was, then it's just... sourcing.

"Build or buy" is a step in any engineering process. You can screw it up by doing either too much.

Outsourcing is still a perfectly applicable term for something that was never done in house. Either way, that's just semantics, which is a very boring thing to argue about. Call it subcontracting if you'd like. My underlying point was just that it's not an unknown or foreign concept. Otherwise, I agree with you. Everybody has to decide what to do themselves and what to get from others. Maybe Vector is relying too much on external suppliers, but that's not really an unusual situation for a startup of their size.

For the future, it will save a lot of confusion if you just say something like "purchasing all major subsystems from various different vendors with little to nothing built in-house" I don't think there is a term for this or a need for one.

I've seen this referred to as an organization being a systems integrator rather than a manufacturer.

Our @vectorspacesys B0.003 vehicle being readied in our new factory in #Tucson for flight later in March testing multiple subsystems including fairings, avionics, and thrust vector control systems on a suborbital flight. Stay tuned !

Our @vectorspacesys B0.003 vehicle being readied in our new factory in #Tucson for flight later in March testing multiple subsystems including fairings, avionics, and thrust vector control systems on a suborbital flight. Stay tuned !

Finally, the TVC we've been waiting for. No more slanting off the rail!

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vector, a nanosatellite launch company comprised of new-space and enterprise software industry veterans from SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, McDonnell Douglas, Boeing, Sea Launch and VMware and Open Cosmos, a space mission provider, today announced an agreement to reserve five orbital launches between 2019 and 2023 on the Vector-R launch vehicle. The announcement comes in advance of Vector's first orbital launch in July.

"This agreement with Open Cosmos continues our ongoing efforts to partner with a broad network of customers, and signals the start of a new frontier for Vector as we prepare for our first orbital mission this summer," said Jim Cantrell, CEO and co-founder of Vector. "Open Cosmos' mission to provide simple and affordable access to space is one that very closely aligns with Vector's, and we look forward to having them along our journey as we continue breaking down the barriers to access space faced by many."

Based in the United Kingdom, Open Cosmos provides end-to-end mission services enabling its clients to focus on in-orbit data. This one-stop-shop to orbit allows companies to have dedicated nanosatellite missions for remote sensing payloads, IoT/telecommunication services, scientific research, or space technology in-orbit demonstrations. Open Cosmos manufactures its satellites in-house, procures launch services from partners like Vector, and operates qbee fleets using its own satellite operations system while leveraging existing ground segment infrastructure.

"This agreement secures our ability to provide dedicated, affordable launch options to our customers," said Rafel Jorda-Siquier, CEO and founder of Open Cosmos. "Following the qbee nanosatellite deployment in LEO early April 2017, we've been building a strong commercial pipeline of customers looking to get their payload to orbit and start generating revenues fast and under budget. Vector's launch cadence and aggressive prices allows us to provide increased affordable schedule certainty to our time-to-market sensitive customers."

Vector will begin construction on its state-of-the-art rocket factory in Pima County, Ariz. later this year, designed to produce up to 100 launch vehicles per year to start. Throughout 2018, Vector will be testing major elements of its Vector-R launch vehicle leading up to the July orbital launch.

Founded by the original founding team of SpaceX, Vector is a disruptive company that connects space startups and innovators with dedicated, affordable and reliable launch services, enabling platforms and vehicles to access space efficiently and in a more optimized way than ever before possible. For more information, visit http://www.vectorspacesystems.com/

About Open Cosmos

Driven by the vision of making space accessible to anyone, Open Cosmos provides affordable, fast, and simple space missions. We went from design to delivery of QB01, our first nanosatellite, in only four months, followed by a launch and deployment in LEO early April 2017. Open Cosmos is currently developing the next generation of satellites and end-to-end services for commercial and institutional customers to be launched in 2018. For more information visit https://open-cosmos.com/